Bleach Adventures
by Owlus
Summary: A oneshot collection featuring Bleach pairings! Some may be platonic or bromance, but most are shippy. Read and review? Currently featuring Ishida Uryu and Inoue Orihime
1. Byakuya X Hisana

**A collection of oneshots. I might do some requests later on. ****Starting off with Byakuya X Hisana- one of the only legit canon ships! Gah, I didn't know how to write this. Please inform me of any mistakes I've made and review! It helps a me lot.**

Byakuya-sama

Byakuya held his wife's hand, trying to maintain his stoic mask and emotionless expression. Around them, the guards stood motionless, not making a sound.

Hisana lay on a futon on the floor, raven hair running over the sheets. Her eyelids fluttered and she coughed delicately a few times. Byakuya let a worried expression flicker over his face, but it left as soon as Hisana slowly opened her eyes.

"B-Byakuya-sama…" She coughed. "I'm- I don't feel well. I fear I shan't stay much longer."

Byakuya squeezed her small hand briefly. "No. You will become well. You won't die."

Hisana regarded him with large violet eyes full of love, and ran a thumb over the surface of his hand. "Byakuya-sama… Please dismiss the guards." Her voice held a note of anxiousness and urgency. "There is something I need to tell you."

Byakuya reluctantly tore his gaze from his wife's troubled face and glanced at the guards. They nodded and filed out of the room. He turned back to Hisana, who had begun to cough again. "Don't strain yourself, dear. What is it?"

"Byakuya-sama…" Hisana's chest rose and fell gently as she breathed. Her eyes closed for a moment, and Byakuya went into panic, breath catching in his throat. However, Hisana opened her eyes again, smiling slightly. "Don't worry, Byakuya-sama."

"Dear, don't strain yourself-"

Hisana held up a hand. "It's okay," she murmured. "But you have to know, you'll have to go on leading the Kuchiki Clan without me."

Byakuya held back a sob, but his eyes were shiny with unshed tears. He knew that he didn't look much like a leader right now. Just some man grieving over his dying wife. He had lost his stoic and unfeeling façade, but it didn't matter right now. He knew plainly that Hisana wouldn't make it, but still… He had to hope.

Hisana smiled weakly. "Byakuya-sama, as you know, I had a sister. I did something very bad, and I abandoned her in Inuzuri."

Byakuya nodded, allowing a sad smile to spread across his face. "And I would try to stop you from looking because I feared for your health."

"Yes, and I still went. Eventually you promised that you would not stop me from going." Hisana's eyes grew round and troubled. "Please, Byakuya-sama... Find my sister. After you find her, please, do not tell her that I am her sister."

"But why?"

Hisana sighed, then coughed. She turned back to Byakuya. "I have done something terrible to her. She doesn't deserve family like me. I abandoned her. I am not worthy."

Byakuya shook his head. "You are a wonderful person. Polite and soft-spoken; I doubt there is anyone you wishes you harm."

Hisana shook her head. "Even so, don't tell her I am her sister. I don't deserve to be her sister, but I hope that she can be Byakuya-sama's sister."

Byakuya nodded. "I won't tell her."

Hisana smiled, tears glistening in the corners of her eyes. "Thank you…"

Byakuya swallowed the lump in his throat. They stayed there in silence, watching the cherry blossom petals fall down outside. The sun shone inside, casting light on Hisana's pale figure.

She looked so beautiful, Byakuya thought, and he was going to lose her very soon. Nothing could compare to her.

Hisana turned her gaze to Byakuya. "Thank you, Byakuya-sama…" she said softly. "Even at the end, I keep asking more of you."

"Hisana, I-"

"No, Byakuya-sama. I'm sorry." A tear slid down Hisana's face, dropping onto the futon. Her eyes shone with more tears. "I'm sorry. I couldn't return Byakuya-sama's love fully. I was never good enough."

"Hisana, nothing matters now." Byakuya's voice broke. "Just know, I did love you, regardless of what others said of your heritage."

Tears flowed freely from Hisana's eyes, and she gave a melancholy smile. "Being with Byakuya-sama these five years… It was like a dream. Like a dream come true for me. Thank you, Byakuya-sama."

Hisana heaved one last sigh. "I love you Byakuya-sama." Her eyelids fluttered, her chest heaved, and her eyes closed for the last time. Her hand closed around Byakuya's, and she ceased living.

Byakuya gazed down at his wife. Her skin was still warm, but there was no doubt she was departed. Trying not to shake, he leaned down and planted a kiss on her forehead. "Goodbye Hisana."

He held her hand, and a tear crept down his face. Ha. If they could see the stoic noble now, crying like a child.

He gazed out at the garden, bright green grass dotted with smooth stones and with a koi pond. The fish splashed. Pink petals fell, drifting down in the wind. The sun shone.

Everything should have been dark and black. Happiness shouldn't have existed anymore. Hisana was dead. Nothing deserved to be happy anymore.

Byakuya felt those glistening teardrops roll down his face and fall from his chin. No one was watching, and only now was the great Kuchiki allowed to grieve; to weep for the loss of a loved one.

He vowed he would grant Hisana's last wish. He would find her younger sister and protect her, give her as much love as Hisana obviously wanted to give her. Make her feel like a real sister.

It was what Hisana wanted.

**…**

His breath caught in his throat as he saw the girl. Short and petite, with large violet eyes. For a moment, he thought it was Hisana. He wanted to run to the girl and beg her to answer him, was she resentful at him for failing to find her sister?

But no. It had to be Hisana's sister. The resemblance was so great, it was as if they were twins, but it couldn't have been. Hisana had abandoned her when she was a baby, although she deeply regretted that decision afterwards. Byakuya remembered the many times she had disappeared off into Rukongai to search for her.

He learnt the girl's name was Rukia, and she had come from Inuzuri with a boy named Renji. Rukia was average in her subjects, but she excelled in Kido. Renji was in the elevated class. But Rukia was the one he wanted to adopt or Hisana.

He spent ages trying to convince his grandfather and advisors that he wanted to adopt Rukia as a sister. They deeply disapproved of taking another peasant into the family. Hisana had barely been approved, and now he wanted to take in another peasant from Rukongai?

So he prayed at his parents' graves. "I will not break the rules again, Mother, Father. I swear it. Please, help me convince the elders of our clan to adopt Rukia. Please. If so, after this I will never break the rules again. I will abide by our laws. We will not induct another peasant into our noble clan."

And so, they agreed. Rukia was informed the next day, and Byakuya watched her nervous movements, reminded greatly of Hisana. They both had the same quiet and polite nature, and the same modesty.

She hesitated. "I-I'll think about it," she said with uncertainty.

Byakuya nodded. "We will give you time." He didn't miss the fact she was trembling slightly and sweating, due to their difference in Reiatsu.

Her friend Renji burst into the room, interrupting their gathering. "Hey Rukia! I-"

She glanced at him nervously, and Renji recoiled, noticing the tension in the air. The elder accompanying Byakuya raised an eyebrow. "It looks like this is not a suitable time and place to talk."

Byakuya glanced at Rukia. "We will return in a week. We hope that will be enough time for you to decide."

Rukia nodded. "Ye-yes, sir."

Byakuya followed the elder outside the door. He walked past Renji, recoiling slightly at his flaming red hair. Renji couldn't look at him, for the same reason Rukia had trouble maintaining composure.

He paused and turned around, seeing Rukia telling Renji. He saw how Renji cared for her, and tried to be happy for her. He saw her leaving him, and the broken, hopeless look on his face. He knew that look. Renji loved Rukia. It was plain to see, but Rukia had distanced herself from him.

Rukia graduated early, as a result of her adoption. She was tutored by Shiba Kaien, and gained Shikai under his guidance. Her Zanpaktou, Sode no Shirayuki, was dubbed as the most beautiful Zanpaktou in Soul Society. Byakuya felt a wave of warmth towards his now-adopted sister, and her triumph.

But he still maintained his distance from her, hoping he would never hurt her or wound her. He thought he was protecting her. Also, she reminded him too much of Hisana. It hurt him, both physically and mentally, to see the living photograph of his late wife, knowing he could never bring Hisana back.

But he had no idea how she felt about her brother ignoring her, and never looking at her even once since adopting her.

He had no idea how hurt she must have been.

**…**

He thought about this as he lay in bed inside his mansion. He looked out of the window. Was Hisana resentful of him for treating her sister like this?

_Their _sister, he reminded himself. She was his sister as well now.

He remembered Renji's words. _"You never did give a damn about your subordinates!"_

Byakuya felt a pang of guilt at how right the red-haired man was. He must have appeared like a heartless bastard. A stuffy noble. He couldn't even treat his sister normally. Hisana must have been scolding him in whatever after-afterlife she was in.

He couldn't believe that he'd allowed this to happen. He had almost gotten Rukia killed, all because of a stupid vow.

Byakuya sighed, a slight breeze tousling his hair. He'd never even acknowledged Rukia, just adopted her and let her alone. Although he pulled a few strings to keep her as an unseated officer so she'd be safe from the harm that threatened seated officers and lieutenants. But he knew she'd be happier as a lieutenant, having her strength and progress acknowledge.

What had Hisana said? Oh yes. Treat Rukia like a sister, and be an acceptable older brother seeing as Hisana couldn't. But he couldn't. Byakuya had utterly failed his deceased wife, not even abiding her last wish, telling Rukia everything. He had failed Hisana.

Hisana deserved better. Rukia deserved better. Renji also deserved better, or trying to be there for Rukia even after she had distanced herself. It was clear Renji loved her. So damn obvious. He deserved a better captain, one who cared about subordinates.

Byakuya could've spent hours contemplating life, and thinking about how utterly worthless he was, until there was a slight breeze of cold wind. He looked up to see a pale face outside the window. With some surprise, he saw it was transparent and he could see the maze of Seireitei through it.

"Who are you?" he asked calmly, once again the noble, stoic head of the Kuchiki Clan.

The face hesitated, then spoke in a soft, shaky voice. "B-Byakuya-sama...?" It drifted inside, revealing a slender, petite body clothed in a white yukata. It solidified, and Byakuya realized he recognized the face. His heart cracked, as well as his mask of indifference.

"Hisana?"

The transparent figure nodded. Hisana nodded. Glittering tears spilled out of her faint violet eyes. "Byakuya-sama... I've missed you so much."

"Hisana... I'm so sorry." Byakuya hung his head.

Hisana smiled, wiping away the tears threatening to roll down her cheeks. "Foolish Byakuya-sama... I told you to protect my sister."

Byakuya stared bleakly at his wife. He wasn't sure if it was a hallucination or not, but it felt pretty real. "I'm sorry."

Hisana shook her head. "You failed me. But I'm sure you had your reasons." She drifted closer and sat on the edge of his bed. "I forgive you, Byakuya-sama."

Byakuya could feel his wife's warm hand upon his cheek as Hisana leaned closer, caressing his jaw. Byakuya blinked away annoying tears threatening to fall. He couldn't act like a sniveling kid in front of her, as much as he wanted to weep. It was too much for him.

Hisana smiled tenderly. "I cannot stay for long, Byakuya-sama... But keep in mind, please treat Rukia like a real sister... No matter how much she reminds me of you... She's been hurting inside because her brother won't look at her. And don't say sorry; I already forgive you."

They sat like that for a few more moments, Byakuya just relishing the feeling of Hisana beside him again. Her hand was now in his, like the day she died.

She hesitated, and pulled something out of the folds of her yukata. "Here, Byakuya-sama... I want you to have this, as a reminder of the promise."

She dropped a small green plushie of something that looked like a cloud with spindly brown legs and what looked like a face. "What is it?"

"Wakame Taishi. Seaweed Ambassador." Hisana appeared to be fading away. She must have noticed too, for she added hurriedly, "I was planning to give it to Rukia when and if I ever found you. But it seems like she likes rabbits." She gave a chuckle. "So I entrust it to you."

Byakuya squeezed the small toy slightly in his hand. It fit nicely in his palm. "Thank you. I shall keep it and protect it with my life."

"Not your life. But please keep him safe." Hisana briefly met his eyes. "Goodbye, Byakuya-sama."

"Wait, Hisana!"

"I'm sorry I cannot stay longer." Hisana leaned forward, kissing his nose and holding his hand, before dissipating into small white sparks. Byakuya looked hollowly at the small toy in his hand, feeling the pain of losing his wife for a second time.

**...**

Byakuya woke up with a start. Was it all a dream? He hoped not. He looked wildly around, noting that the window was closed. No trace of Hisana remained. He sank back into his despair, and then noticed it.

The small toy sitting on the dresser beside him. The Wakame Taishi. The Seaweed Ambassador. So it hadn't been a dream. Not a hallucination.

Hisana had been here after all.


	2. Gin X Rangiku

Rangiku woke up with a start, shooting a glance at the empty ragged futon beside her. It was cold. No one had slept there in a while, probably a few hours or something. The gears in her mind whirred wildly as she processed the situation.

"Gin!" Rangiku ran outside in panic. "_Gin!"_

He wasn't there. He was gone again. Rangiku brushed a lock of strawberry blonde hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear. He was always gone for long periods of time.

Rangiku shivered and hugged herself. She was alone in this hovel in the woods. Hollows could have been lurking anywhere. She knew she shouldn't have worried about Gin, seeing as he always returned somehow, she couldn't brush off the thought that a hollow might have gotten him. They both had spiritual power which made them good targets for those monsters.

Rangiku planted herself on the ground, ignoring the cold. She wanted Gin to stop disappearing. She absently brushed a speck of dirt off her ratty green yukata. Gin had left her plenty of dried persimmons but she wasn't hungry. Not like when they had first met.

She looked around the clearing, seeing cold light filter in through the leaves. Birds twittered, filling the area with high-pitched whistles and calls. Rangiku exhaled, her breath becoming foggy in the cold morning air. What day was it? Sometime in September… She couldn't remember, and didn't exactly care either.

She yawned and rubbed her eyes. "Gin…? I hope you come back soon, safe and sound."

There was no reply. No one was there to hear her, and she knew it. So she walked back inside and waited for him to come back. She hoped he did. She didn't know what she'd do if her best friend went missing or was killed and eaten by a hollow.

Someone nudged her arm and Rangiku mumbled, "Ugh… Go away…" before turning over and going back to sleep again. When they nudged and shook her again, she waved her hand absently. "Nooo…"

"Rangiku!" It was Gin's excited whisper. That was enough to jolt Rangiku out of her doze.

"Gin?!" she shrieked, sitting bolt upright and almost hitting said boy on the head.

"Yes, it's me!" Gin said with a laugh.

"Where have you been?" she cried, grabbing his shoulders and shaking him. "I was so worried! You always disappear for ages without telling me where you're going or where you've been, not even alerting me when you leave!" She shook her head. "You have to stop doing this," she pleaded, and then her features wrinkled into a scowl.

Gin laughed lightly. "Calm down, no hollow would mess with me, ya know?" he chuckled, wiggling his eyebrows. "They wouldn't know what to do with all this," he said, proudly flexing his scrawny arm. Despite everything, Rangiku couldn't help but snort.

"Yeah, right."

"Anyways, Rangiku-chan, look what I got for ya!"

"Huh?" Rangiku watched as he rummaged through his bag. "What is it?"

"It's a scarf!" Gin held out the pink length of fabric. Rangiku stared at it and ran a finger down the soft material.

"Gin… Don't tell me you stole this!" Rangiku glared reproachfully at him. "We don't even have that much money, and children can't work!"

"Well, ya do know I've been disappearin' for hours on end, sometimes even days. Truth is, I've been doin' odd jobs to earn a bit o' money. And I found this beautiful thing and I wanted to get it for ya!" He looked down sheepishly. "I know the quality ain't all that good but it was all I could afford, an' I-"

"Gin!" Rangiku threw herself at him, bowling him over in a hug. Her eyes filled with tears. "You didn't have to go through all that just to get something for me! I would have just been content you stay with you and sit around doing nothing. And there's not even an occasion to merit this!"

"Oh?" They sat up and Gin tilted his head at her. "Do ya even know what day it is?"

"Uh…" Rangiku racked her brains. "September the… Late in September…?" she trailed off.

A wide grin broke out on Gin's face. "It's the twenty-ninth, Rangiku-chan! Your birthday, the day we met!"

"Really? I actually forgot what day it was and it turned out to be my birthday?"

"Yeah!" Gin wrapped the scarf around Rangiku's neck. "I got it so ya wouldn't be cold anymore, Rangiku," he said softly.

"T-Thank you, Gin," Rangiku whispered, hugging the scarf close to her neck. Without thinking, she darted over and planted a peck on his cheek, making them both blush bright red.

"Well… That was a surprise…" Gin glanced back at her. "Wanna go exploring? Together?"

"Really? Yes!"

"Let's go!"

They walked out of the hovel together, the tall and skinny boy with silver hair and squinty eyes, and the shorter girl with shoulder-length blonde hair and a pink scarf wrapped around herself. The girl was clutching the boy's arm, talking to him excitedly and the boy was laughing.

...

Gin was collecting firewood when he heard voices. The voices didn't seem at all friendly, and they sounded smug. Gin scowled and dove behind a bush, peering through the branches and the leaves.

Three Shinigami were kneeling on the ground in front of another Shinigami. The man had wavy brown hair and wore black glasses.

He saw the brown-haired man take a ball of pink energy from one of the other men's hands and place it in a glass container with a ball of dark-purple energy in it. Gin thought this behaviour was highly suspicious but shrugged, seeing as it wasn't his business. Then he recoiled.

Back when he and Rangiku had first met, he'd seen those three Shinigami walk out of the place where Rangiku was collapsed. He nearly dropped his armful of firewood.

_Those bastards had hurt Rangiku._

He knelt and peered through the bush again, watching the four. Especially the man with brown hair and glasses. He must have been the leader, and by the looks of it, he didn't seem to care whether he hurt people or not. In fact, he seemed pleased.

_I'm going to find you and kill you. _Gin swore it to himself that he would one day kill the man who had hurt Rangiku, even if it took him a hundred years to do so.

...

Rangiku scrambled to her feet and dashed outside. Gin was back from another one of his adventures, but she stopped, her breath catching in her throat. "Gin, what…?"

Gin stood before her, a melancholy look on his face. His trademark creepy smile was gone, and there was a splatter of blood on his cheek. A Shinigami's robe, a Shihakusho, was draped over his shoulder. He was staring at the ground. "Rangiku..."

Rangiku ran towards him. "Gin, what happened-"

"Rangiku-chan." Gin grabbed her arm. "I want to become a Shinigami. That way I can change things." He turned to her and smiled thinly. "Without Rangiku having to cry."

"Wh-what..." Rangiku squeezed his wrist. "Then I'm coming with you."

"Huh?" Gin was so surprised he nearly opened his eyes.

"I'm going to become a Shinigami too." Her grip tightened. "That way I can change things with you. And neither of us will have to worry anymore."

Gin's smile spread, but it was a sincere one. "Thanks, Rangiku."

Rangiku slapped him on the back. "Fool! Don't think you're leaving me again!" she shouted.

They entered and passed the entry exam for the Shin'o Academy together, happy when they discovered that they had both gotten in. Gin rushed towards her, dressed in the uniform. He carried a sheet of paper. "Rangiku! I'm in the elevated class!"

"Nice!" Rangiku joined him. She was dressed modestly, her uniform covering her rapidly-growing chest, but she attracted quite a few glances from boys nevertheless. Gin narrowed his eyes even further as he looked around to glare at them but turned his attention back to Rangiku.

"What about you?"

She glanced down sheepishly, tucking a strawberry blonde lock of hair behind her ear. "Ah, I'm just in an average class," she admitted.

"That's alright, Rangiku." He wiggled his eyebrows. "We're still in the academy together, ain't we?"

"Yeah."

Gin was actually a child genius, a prodigy. He completed the six-year course in only one year, surpassing another genius, Kaien Shiba. He was now a seated officer of Squad Five. Rangiku regarded this with a small smile. He really was amazing, huh? And where was she? Hah. Rangiku was still in the academy, in an average class. Gin was the amazing one. He was going places. He had achieved his bright future already, but now they were apart. Rangiku wondered whether or not he was thinking about her, missing her, wanting to be with her like she wanted to be with him.

She didn't know it, but the two had grown more distant. In fact, Gin was the one distancing himself from her. But Rangiku never noticed. She never noticed the dodgy way he avoided her, how he spent all that time holed up, studying. She never noticed.

_I'll work harder, _she promised herself, _so I can join Gin wherever he is._

...

Unbeknownst to her, Gin was standing in the forest over a dead Shinigami. His squad's fifth seat. The brown-haired man, Aizen, stood over him with a pleased look on his face. "Oh? You killed the third seat?"

"He was nothing. Just trash," Gin replied nonchalantly, his face splattered with blood and an eerie grin on his face. "He was easy prey."

"Hmm?"

"I repeat, he was worthless." Gin's voice didn't even have an edge to it. It was like he didn't even care about the man he had killed.

"How do you feel about this?"

Gin shrugged, his overly large Shihakusho threatening to slide off him. "Feelings? Eh? Nah, 'fraid not. Don't got none o' them feelings. I tell ya, I'm a snake. Cold of flesh and devoid of heart, an' all that. My tongue flicks back and forth, always in search of new prey. And if I like what I find," Gin's already squinty eyes narrowed even tighter, "I swallow 'em whole."

_What an interesting boy, _Aizen thought. He'd be helpful to Aizen's master plan if he was like that. "Say, boy-"

"Gin. Ichimaru Gin," Gin interrupted. "Go on, sir."

Aizen nodded, not even miffed in the slightest. "Well, Gin, I would like to promote you to third seat, if that's fine with you."

"What 'bout the captain? Hirako, ain't it?"

Aizen's eyes narrowed and a small smirk spread over his face. "Oh, Hirako won't mind. You are a child prodigy. He'll be delighted to have this imbecile replaced. We'll just pull a few strings to make sure no one even so much as suspects you of this murder and you're free to go. Come."

Gin followed Aizen, stumbling on his large hakama. He was getting closer to Aizen. One step closer. One step closer to killing the man who had hurt Rangiku.

...

"Kill her, Gin." Aizen dropped the unconscious Kuchiki Rukia to the ground. "I have no further use of her."

Gin shrugged. Their plans had gone perfectly well. Aizen was made captain after their Hollowfication of Hirako Shinji, Sarugaki Hiyori, Muguruma Kensei, Kuna Mashiro, Yadomaru Lisa, Otoribashi Rojuro, Aikawa Love and Ushoda Hachigen. And Urahara Kisuke as well as Tsukabishi Tessai and Shihoin Yoruichi. Everything was going _perfectly_.

He gave a resigned sigh. "Shoot to kill, Shinso!" He hoisted his small sword and watched as it grew, speeding towards the limp form of Kuchiki Rukia. _Sorry, Rukia-chan_, he thought tiredly. _Just another part of my intricate plan._

But his musings were cut short as the blow was instead received by Kuchiki Byakuya. Rukia seemed to snap out of it as he fell to the ground. "Nii-sama?" She started shaking him, her cries becoming filled with more and more anguish. "Byakuya! Nii-sama! _Nii-sama! NII-SAMA!"_

Aizen seemed to find her cries boring, or rather tiring. "Dispose of both of them, Ichimaru."

"No!" Rukia spat, hugging Byakuya's head close to her. "NO! You shan't lay a _finger _on my brother!"

_Oh? Even though he put her through all that, she still loves him like family, like an actual older brother? Oh my. What a loyal little sister. _Gin felt a pang as he remembered the sibling-like love he and Rangiku had shared.

"You're under arrest!" Shihoin Yoruichi and Soifon had materialized, trapping Aizen in an inescapable position, blades basically everywhere. Tosen was apprehended by a mournful-looking Hisagi, and Gin himself was caught by Rangiku.

"You're under arrest, Gin," she whispered, blade to his throat. Neither her expression or her voice betrayed her emotion, but Gin felt an ache in his chest as he looked into the agony revealed in her eyes. _Oh, Ran. I'm so sorry._

Aizen laughed. "Don't think too much of yourselves, fools." Suddenly they were surrounded by golden light, the three of them.

"Soifon! Get back!" The two assassins leapt away from Aizen, just as Hisagi and Rangiku recoiled from their captive captains.

"Negacion," Ukitake whispered, gazing in awe. There was a ragged tear in the sky, and the screams and cries of many Menos Grande, Gillians. A single, glowing eye opened, and that eye was almost as big as Komamura's Bankai, Kokujo Tengen Myo'o.

Gin turned, a sad smile on his face, to gaze at Rangiku. Her eyes looked like they were on the verge of spilling tears. "Sorry, Rangiku. Woulda liked to be held captive by you some more, but... That's not how it goes..." He was raised by the light, and looked down at all the assembled captains, lieutenants and that Ryoka boy, Kurosaki Ichigo, whatever his name was.

_Sorry, Izuru. Sorry, Momo. Sorry everyone, but I've got my own plans and they can't involve any of you. _He saw Rangiku bow her head. _Sorry, Rangiku. I-I'm really sorry about this. I'll return. I promise._

...

Gin lay on the ground, a gash across his chest. He was bleeding out, and wouldn't last much longer. He coughed, and a trail of blood flowed.

He had encountered Rangiku earlier, said some very insulting things and knocked her out without harming her so Aizen would think he had killed her, not being able to sense her Reiatsu, and she wouldn't pursue him. Gin regretted his decisions a lot, the parts where he had to distance himself from her for her own good. He had sometimes wished he could just quit his plan of his and rejoined Rangiku. They could have been happy together.

But he just had to try and kill Aizen, no matter how long it took. All for Rangiku. Ah, he should have quit while he was ahead. It didn't even work, seeing as the damned Hogyoku was fused with the bastard, and Gin had been killed.

He seemed oblivious to Rangiku's high, keening, grief-stricken shrieks. "Gin! _GIN!"_

She flew to him at breakneck speed, barely reaching him in time. "Oh, Gin," she sobbed, tears cascading down her face. A few dropped onto Gin's face as she cradled his head in her arms, trying to make him feel as comfortable as possible, resisting the urge to squeeze him into her chest and bawl like a baby. "Gin, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. If-if only... Please..." She was wordlessly crying, trying not to shake too much.

Gin's eyes were glazing over. "R-Rangiku," he wheezed. "I'm s-sorry, for wh-what I've done to you..."

"Gin? Don't strain yourself!" she cried.

Gin managed a weak smile, a ghost of what was his usual smile. "I tried... I'm sorry f-for failing you... I just wanted to-to change things without Rangiku having to cry," he said softly, weakly reaching out a hand to wipe her cheeks. It wore him out and the arm would have dropped if Rangiku hadn't clutched it, vicelike, and held it to her warm and tear-streaked cheek. She still wore the pink scarf he'd given her, even after he had distanced himself from her. "I-I love..." He tried to form the last word but all that came out was more blood.

Rangiku's shoulder's shook as Gin coughed a few more times, blood spilling out of his mouth. His strength left him, and his sky-blue eyes lost their sharpness before they closed into their usual squint. Rangiku, realizing he was dead, let out a piercing wail, gathering up Gin's stiff body to hers, squeezing him and trying to sense any warmth that had not yet left his body. His head lolled uselessly, but she buried her face into his neck and wept, drenching his already blood-soaked Shihakusho with snot and tears. She finally lost it and bawled for her childhood friend, the one she had often dreamed of becoming her lover. She loved him. He had tried to tell her he had loved her, but his body failed him.

If only she had come here earlier. She could have saved him.

Gin felt the last of his consciousness leaving him. His thoughts drifted to Rangiku. Ah, how he wished he could have lived longer, just to be able to explain everything to her. _If you were to turn into a snake tomorrow and begin devouring humans, and from the same mouth you started devouring humans, you cried out to me 'I love you,' would I still be able to say 'I love you' the same way I do today?_

Rangiku's wails and sobs echoed through the empty area, as she strawberry blonde clutched the skeletal silver-haired man in her arms, shaking and rocking in her grief. Her tears never ceased flowing, and she was oblivious to the explosions and bangs in the distance. Her face was contorted in a soundless scream as she wept, unable to calm down or do anything other than hold Gin's cold body close.

She finally quieted down a bit, just enough to say these few words.

"I love you, Gin."

* * *

><p><strong>;v; started bawling like a goddamn baby when I wrote Gin's death because screw it, saddest death ever. Now I have to go and clean my keyboard up, seeing as I was sobbing grossly and there are salty tears over the keys.<strong>

**Rangiku later contemplates throwing away the scarf as it's too painful, but she can't let go of it because it was a worked-for gift from him.**


	3. Uryu X Orihime

**A/N: FINALLY UPDATING AFTER A WEEK WITHOUT WIFI YES**

**Based on an adorable post on Tumblr… You'll find out what it is later on in the story, huehuehue… This is an AU, where everyone's a high school student, but with added Tumblr post thingy. And Inoue Sora is still alive, although Kurosaki Masaki is dead. Sorry. A lot of non-canon content.**

**A hint of GrimmIchi for two real life friends who are a fan of the pairing (Pancakegiraffe1204 and Foxy Scarecrow)**

**Enjoy ^u^**

Soulmate Countdown

Inoue Orihime skipped happily through the corridors of her high school, Karakura High, humming an upbeat tune. Her fiery auburn hair flowed behind her from the speed at which she casually skipped, carefully tended to like it had been every day. No one other than Tatsuki had ever borne witness to the ferocious fight between Orihime and her hair as she struggled with either the curlers or straighteners depending on what she felt like that day.

She attracted many admiring gazes as she made her way down the hall, slowing down near the teachers' staffroom to pop by and say hello. This was her fifth day as a third-year, a senior student, and she greeted many people in the corridors calling, "Ohayo, Inoue-senpai!" with her own higher-pitched, melodious reply of, "Ohayo!" regardless of whether she knew them or not. She loved everyone and was loved by everyone, although there was one she had devoted her heart to, and she kept waiting for him to return her feelings. But she was still touched at the juniors who had courageously approached her and told her of their feelings.

Still humming, she slipped into her classroom, greeting her classmates, and plopped herself down next to Tatsuki with a call of, "Ohayo, Tatsuki-chan!", who was resting with her arms crossed on the desk and smothering herself with her face buried in her arms. Orihime, still smiling happily, placed her bag down, and caught a muffled reply as Tatsuki shifted her position slightly.

"Come on, Tatsuki-chan, it's almost class time!" Orihime urged, tapping Tatsuki on the shoulder to try and get her to lift her face from her arms. Tatsuki uttered another muffled reply and lifted herself up, propping her chin up on one arm and yawning loudly, turning to look at Orihime.

"Looks like your day went off with a good start," she remarked, running a hand through her spiky black locks, extremely messy – Tatsuki probably had neglected to brush it that day – in contrast to Orihime's long flowing mane.

Orihime giggled. "You sound as if your day hadn't!" she said, poking her tongue out and swinging her legs. She tried to take a peek at Tatsuki's wrist but the dark-haired girl shifted her position again and inadvertently blocked it from Orihime's line of vision.

"Naw. I slept in and missed the bus, and had to run here," Tatsuki mumbled blearily, resting her head in her arms once more. She glanced back at Orihime, only to find her attention diverted elsewhere, and sighed, a wry smile forming on the corners of her lips.

"Ohayo, Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime called, waving enthusiastically to a tall young man, his hair a brighter orange shade than Orihime's but messier than Tatsuki's and shorter. Kurosaki Ichigo walked in with a brooding expression on his usually-scowling face, his bag slung over his shoulder, and he appeared to be muttering angrily under his breath.

Ichigo waved back and greeted them offhandedly, going over to seat himself next to Rukia, beginning to mutter something to her. She snickered and aimed a kick at his ankles, to which he sucked in a breath and cursed at her. Looking at the two of them bicker… Tatsuki glanced back at Orihime, who had a crestfallen expression on her face, and mentally swore at Ichigo for not knowing the harm he'd done to her friend, many times.

Everyone was born with a countdown on their wrist which would count down to the very exact time they met their soulmate, starting 96 hours, or four days, until the event, counting down to the very exact second. Again, it started four days prior, giving the person time to prepare themselves, them and their soulmate's countdowns perfectly in sync with each other. Not many people knew this, but Orihime's countdown read 00:00:00. And it had been that way for a very long time.

Orihime gazed longingly back at them. She didn't know Ichigo's countdown number, but knew very well that it was on 00:00:00 like her, but from the day Kuchiki Rukia had transferred in and plopped herself down next to him, beginning to annoy him. It involved a lot of Ichigo's grumbling, and Rukia's sass, and Orihime had a small, sad smile on her face as she watched the two of them. She _knew _Ichigo's countdown was at 00:00:00… But she couldn't stop hoping that it had been that way when he and Orihime had met, on the first day of junior high, when she'd rushed into class after dropping her books and Ishida-kun helping her pick them up, and she'd accidentally bumped into him.

She'd heard of people who were destined to be alone, their countdowns leading them to the right person, but the one that was perfect for them? They already had a soulmate, or were expecting a different one. Orihime feared that she would end up like them. But she wasn't sure about Ichigo's case, and that in itself held a small sliver of hope for her.

Their sensei, Misato Ochi, had walked into class and after a chorus of, "Ohayo, Ochi-sensei!" she began to mark the roll, and Orihime sank into the same listless stupor Tatsuki was in, calling out, "Hai!" when Ochi-sensei called their names out.

Their morning went on in this manner, Orihime and Tatsuki sneaking notes to each other at Orihime's behest and Tatsuki insisting that they do it, lest they spend another day in boredom. Several times the teacher almost noticed them giggling at each other's snarky responses, as well as funny little doodles brought up by Orihime's lively imagination, and often Orihime drifted off and zoned out into a world of her own, and Tatsuki had to poke her with a pencil to get her attention and pass her another note, resulting in them getting a warning.

The bell rang for recess, and they all filed out of the classroom. Ichigo and Rukia were still having an animated conversation with each other, Ishida trailing after them on his phone, Chad walking distractedly, and Tatsuki and Orihime chatting, although Orihime cast many envious glances at Rukia, all of which were noticed by the watchful and perceptive Tatsuki.

They walked to their usual spot on the roof, and Orihime heard some snippets of Ichigo and Rukia's conversation that made her blood run cold.

"…that blue-haired twat," Ichigo was grumbling to Rukia, who stifled a snicker.

"Really?" Rukia asked disbelievingly, for what seemed like the hundredth time.

"Yes, Rukia!" Ichigo snapped bad-temperedly, "It was him!"

"_He's _the one who you met that night?" Rukia repeated, stifling another snicker. "_He's _your soulmate?"

The rest of their conversation went over Orihime's head as she lifted a hand to her hair, momentarily forgetting _everything _as she checked to see her hair wasn't blue, feeling a rush of relief as she giddily remembered her hair was coppery red, and she wasn't a twat in his opinion, but then she realized something: she wasn't the girl.

Without thinking or even saying anything to Tatsuki, she bolted, rushing off to the bathroom. Unbeknownst to her, Tatsuki had also overheard the conversation, and Rukia's disbelieving words, and she could only gaze after her friend sadly before heading out. She knew Orihime needed to be alone right now, and no amount of comforting or food could do the trick this time.

Orihime didn't realize it at first, but tears were appearing in the corners of her eyes and she sprinted to the female bathrooms, swinging through the door and locking herself into a cubicle, taking a seat on the toilet seat with its cover down. Fat tears were rolling down her cheeks and dripping onto her uniform from her chin as she sobbed, tearing her sleeve down to glare dejectedly at her wrist. More tears spilled out and she bit her lip to stifle a heartbroken wail, scrubbing furiously at the countdown which refused to fade away. Her shoulders trembled with her broken sobbing as she tucked her legs close to herself and continued scrubbing at the wrist countdown feverishly, despite the skin around it becoming red and raw, and the stinging pains caused by her mindless rubbing of the countdown, which was stubbornly still there, a painful reminder of how he could never be hers.

The tears flowed freely from her sky-blue eyes, which usually shone with happiness and cheer, but were now dull with misery, although they shone with more unshed tears. She wiped her eyes with a sleeve, sniffling, and then ignored her streaming eyes in favour of trying fruitlessly to try and scrub off the countdown on her wrist. It was futile, but oh, it caused her so much _agony_, plenty more than her own self-inflicted pain caused by the rubbing on her wrist.

Eventually she gave up, weeping bitterly, face buried into her knees and arms folded over her head. She looked a mess right now, but still sobbed, high keening wails echoing off the walls. Luckily no one was there to interfere. She'd been so influenced by her belief that she and Kurosaki were meant to be, that she fell so deeply in love with him, but it was a false belief, for she wasn't his soulmate. It was whoever the 'blue-haired twat' was.

Eventually, she forced herself to stop and clean herself up, for class would be starting soon. _'Suck it up, princess,' _she told herself furiously. She walked over to the sink and washed her face after showing it a thin, watery smile. She hadn't chosen to wear make-up that day thankfully, because it would have been running over her face in ugly, conspicuous black streaks. She sniffled once again, the areas around her eyes puffy and red, but it would do. Hopefully no one would ask her about it.

She walked slowly back to class, wiping what was left of her tears and snot from her face with a tissue, then entered the bustling classroom, sitting down next to Tatsuki as she usually did. Tatsuki just sighed and placed a hand on her shoulder, shooting an evil glare in Ichigo's direction. It didn't matter, Orihime thought miserably. It wasn't Ichigo's fault. It had been her own, placing so much trust in something that wasn't even confirmed to be true, her own naïve belief overriding her rational side Sora had taught her to use.

The bell rang after class and she walked slowly with Tatsuki at their usual space on the roof. Tatsuki was mercifully quiet, giving her the time to get over it. And when they reached the roof, their small group of friends plopped down and seated themselves. Orihime stared dejectedly at the ground, even ignoring the piece of chocolate Tatsuki had pressed into her motionless hands. They were slowly melting, and Tatsuki sighed again. Orihime was oblivious to the world, and didn't notice she was being observed by not one, but _two _pairs of eyes, neither of which were Ichigo or Rukia. She could only drift back into the past, when she and Ichigo had first met.

_~Flashback~ _**(A/N: Not only in Orihime's POV, it features different POVs.)**

Inoue Orihime was in her first year of junior high, and she was lost. Checking her map, she sprinted down the corridor, puffing, her too-large uniform flapping behind her and _still _straining to contain her rapidly-growing chest. She rounded a turn, only to find it was a dead end, leading to a broom cupboard. She was incredibly nervous, even though her brother Sora had reassured her it was no big deal. She didn't believe him, as she'd already attracted stares from other male students, none of which she liked the look of.

Tatsuki was sitting inside, and she checked her watch with a mixture of boredom and anxiety, an odd combination. Where was Orihime? She had half a mind to get up and go look for her herself, but pushed the thought away, scolding herself for not trusting her friend better.

Orihime finally made it to the corridor the door to her classroom was located in. The reason she was so nervous was partly because her wrist countdown had started four days prior, and it was almost ticking down to 00:00:00, and she was unsure of whom her soulmate would be… She hoped it was someone who treated others kindly.

"Look out!" a voice cried, and Orihime looked up from her wrist too late to find herself colliding with a tall, skinny boy with symmetrical black bangs on either side of his face and square-rimmed glasses. And all her books were on the floor. She let out a small cry of panic and rapidly started gathering them up, and the boy helped her. With his help, the books were all in the bag once more, and she found himself looking up at his taller frame.

"Inoue Orihime!" she introduced herself brightly. "Thank you for helping me pick all these books up."

"No problem," he said, adjusting his glasses bashfully, "I'm Ishida Uryu." He held out a hand, and Orihime shook it vigorously, words of thanks spilling from her mouth easily, and rushed into the classroom to take her place beside Ichigo. Ishida didn't rush to follow her, only glancing down at his wrist, which had hit 00:00:00 just as Orihime collided with him and began babbling apologies.

Orihime, however, didn't have this on her mind. She hadn't checked her wrist, but assumed it was still ticking. She would have made it to her seat beside Tatsuki if it weren't for the fact she'd collided violently once again, but with a different boy this time. Tatsuki winced as both of them fell on their butts, and this time Orihime's books didn't spill out of her bag this time. The boy had violently orange hair with was shorter than Tatsuki's but even more messy and spiky, and his eyes were a warm brown although his face was fixated in a permanent scowl.

"I'm so sorry!' Orihime cried, apologies spilling from her mouth as easily as water. The boy got up to his feet and dusted himself off.

"No harm done."

"Orihime, meet my childhood friend, Kurosaki Ichigo," Tatsuki introduced them, watching them intently. "Ichigo, meet Inoue Orihime, my best friend."

"Pleasure to meet you!" Orihime squeaked, meeting his eyes for a moment.

"You too," Ichigo said brusquely, going to sit beside a tall, muscular dark-skinned boy boy with shaggy, curled hair falling into his eyes – Chad, as Ichigo called him – and Ichigo began to take out pencils from his bag.

Orihime stared after him with rounded eyes, sitting down slowly beside Tatsuki, who sharply reminded her, "Check your wrist, 'Hime!"

"Oh, right!" Orihime finally pulled down her jacket sleeve to reveal a vivid 00:00:00. She let out a squeak of excitement. "Oh!"

"Was it him?" Tatsuki asked breathlessly, leaning over to look.

"I think so!" Orihime squealed, her legs swinging violently underneath the table. Over at the table, Ichigo as confused at the furtive glances they were shooting at him, and he had no idea what they were squealing about. He checked his own wrist. The countdown hadn't even started yet.

Beside them, Ishida Uryu glanced from his own wrist, reading 00:00:00 like Orihime's, back at the girl herself, her face lit up in excitement.

_~Flashback End~_

Orihime blinked, the blurriness disappearing from her eyes as she realized someone was calling her name "Yeah…?" she answered blearily.

It was Ishida-kun in front of her. "Inoue-san?" he asked anxiously, "Class is starting."

"Right…" Orihime rose to her feet, helped by Tatsuki, watching them intently. This had to work out… It was only a hunch, Tatsuki thought, but after talking with Ishida she'd worked something out.

"Is it true your wrist is on zero?" Ishida asked curiously, something she couldn't detect in his voice.

"Yes…?" Orihime answered warily.

"How long has it been like that?"

Orihime was confused. "Since the day I met Kurosaki-kun…" Something clicked in her sluggish brain, but she couldn't figure it out. "The same day I met you… right…?"

Ishida gave a thin smile, and rolled his sleeve up to reveal another 00:00:00. Orihime gasped, and glanced at him, and he nodded. "It's been like that since the day you crashed into me and spilled your books everywhere," he told her quietly. Tatsuki was listening to their conversation interestedly.

Orihime drew a sharp intake of breath. "I just didn't bother checking my wrist after I met you!" she cried. "It must have hit zero right as I collided with you, and I only remembered – well Tatsuki reminded me – to check my wrist after I met Kurosaki-kun." This sent shivers down her spine, and she beamed. "I'm so glad it's you after all!" she cried, wiping her eyes.

Ishida smiled warmly down at her. "Coffee?" he offered, "After school today at that nice café?"

"With cookies," she confirmed her smile widening as she felt giddy with relief. She wasn't one of the people destined to be alone. She turned and called to Tatsuki, "You coming, Tatsuki-chan?"

Tatsuki shook her head, a smile on her own face. "You two go on ahead," she told them. They nodded and walked on ahead, talking eagerly with each other, probably discussing their date. Tatsuki hadn't realized her eyes were watering until a tear dropped out and rolled down her face, dropping from her chin. She hastily wiped them away with a fist, but more silent tears came.

She rolled her sleeve up to reveal the big, fat 00:00:00 there. It would never change, for the countdown had finished the day she met Inoue Orihime, when they were very young in middle school, when Tatsuki had protected her from bullies that cut her hair.

Tatsuki had protected Orihime ever since, letting her grow out her beautiful auburn hair to great lengths without people poking fun at it. She'd grown up alongside Orihime, being best friends and all that.

More tears fell as she fell behind, furiously rubbing at her eyes.

For Orihime was the only stranger she'd talked to that day, the only new friend she'd made, the _only _person she'd talked to that she didn't know. Just as she helped her up, she'd felt it tick to 00:00:00. She'd talked to Orihime, not even sparing those bullies a word when she mercilessly beat them up, all her training at the Dojo paying off. She'd been with Orihime ever since.

Orihime was meant for her.

But she wasn't meant for Orihime.

* * *

><p><strong>I hope that was heartbreaking. I'm multishipper trash about Orihime, shipping her with Ulquiorra, Uryu and Tatsuki… But I happen to like IshiHime and UlquiHime better than TatsuHime… whatever the name is… Gah, I loved them, but now I'm torn between Ishida and Ulquiorra.<strong>


End file.
